RMAF Coverage 14

K.T. Audio Imports

K.T. Audio Import

The K.T. Audio Import exhibit took place in the extremely large Evergreen Ballroom A. Though large, the room was occupied by none other than the $155k Gamut S9 loudspeaker system, as driven by the $26,000/pair M250 monoblock amplifiers.

What normally would require the larger of systems to fill the room sonically with, such as the Acapella Tiolon Excalibur, or the twin towers of the Genesis, or the overwhelming panels of Soundlab, the pair of 550lb Gamut was tasked with the same job. The S9 was incredibly slender among the likes of the aforementioned speakers, had incredible output, and nonetheless put in a largely untreated, reverberant ballroom, which was too spacious for the reproduction of a solo grand piano.

Playing complex, high-output orchestral passages, however, the top-end and bottom-end of the presentation possessed such force and propagation that it was always a feast to hear any system sounding as dynamically competent and responsive as the Gamut in similar venues. By the same token, the midrange had first-class tonal opulence that lesser speaker cannot attain in any venue due to lack of air-coupling ability. The larger the venue, the more lifelike and expansive the presentation can get, provided complimentary loudspeakers and electronic systems, such as the Gamut, are utilized. The effects were so compelling, that no less than two strangers approached my seat and asked what the music was.

As mighty and competent as the Gamut system was, the utmost inner details that the Legacy Helix, Vivid Giya G1 and Dynaudio Ultimate Consequence were flushing out in abundance was simply not as forthcoming as in this vast and reverberant exhibit. For a venue of the dimensions of the Evergreen Ballroom, the utmost inner details are bound to have been masked in the process, although playing high-volume, complex passages yielded obvious sonic dividends than solo performances. Strategically placed acoustic diffusor panels would have equalized the room nicely and allowed the S9 to be better appreciated. In the end, I was told that Jonathan Valin of The Absolute Sound was obviously impressed by the exhibit, so much so that he has asked to review the S9 – complete with the M250I monoblocks. Wish my room were twice the size that it is.